Criterion Collection Volume 1
The first volume of Criterion Collection releases was unveiled in 2009. Nine films from FFF3, FFF4 and FFF5 were included. The films were selected by an open vote, with one film from each festival guaranteed a spot and six wild card spots. 1 Cutlass A Film by Columbus Directed by Spike Jonze ' The follow-up to his FFF4 winning Death and the Penguin, Columbus' Cutlass was a remarkably different affair. A madcap, disturbing terror of a film, it was a joyous sight to behold. Circling around Elijah Wood's mysterious encounters with a sword, Bernard Hill, Scarlett Johansson and a lot of chinchillas, the film predicted a return to the slightly bizarre for Columbus (a tendency he had first shown with his FFF3 film The Rejoinder Kid). It was hilarious and frightening, clever and sadistic, and one of the biggest "serious drama" send-ups the festival has ever seen. 'Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Winner - Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Nominee - Best Picture, Best Actor (Elijah Wood), Best Supporting Actor (Bernard Hill), Best Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johnasson), Best Ensemble, Best Original Song Special Features -Commentary by Columbus, director Spike Jonze and actor Elijah Wood -"Sharp...Edges," a 90-minute making-of documentary -"Gerb...ils," a quirky short film that examines the life of Cutlass' iconic animals (directed by Elijah Wood) -"Inside the Festival Studio: A Conversation with Columbus," the original FFF7 conversation between Columbus and Artimus Zeln Available on single disc DVD and Blu-ray for $29.95 MSRP. 2 Death and the Penguin A Film by Columbus Directed by Mike Nichols Columbus produced this ground-breaking FFF entry set in Kiev, Ukraine for the fourth FFF. It tells of Viktor, an obituaryist, and his pet penguin, Misha. Over the course of the film the two become entangled in a mysterious web of confusion and madness that leads the quiet Viktor down an ever darker path. Darkly hilarious and consistently moving, the film defined what we now consider the FFF form. It also set the record for the most wins by a Best Picture winner until Magic for Beginners, five festivals later. Forum Film Festival 4 Awards Winner - Best Picture, Best Director (Mike Nichols), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects Nominee - Best Actor (Timothy Spall), Best Supporting Actor (Adrien Brody), Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Original Song, Best Original Score Special Features -Commentary w/ Columbus, Timothy Spall and Mike Nichols -"Film and the Penguin," a two hour documentary chronicling the making of the film including live set footage and cast/crew interviews -"Life and the Penguin," a look at the artists and the technology that brought Misha the Penguin to life -"FFF and the Penguin," film scholar Joyce Kulhawik takes a look at Penguin and its lasting FFF legacy, with a particular focus on how the film changed the landscape of FFF writing -"Adaptations and the Festival," a look at FFF adaptations that have gone on to win Best Picture (including Magic for Beginners and The Many lives of Madrox) -Original theatrical trailers and TV spots -An annotated (by Columbus) copy of Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov's original novel Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $39.95 MSRP. 3 Dodsworth A re-adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' classic novel, Maddie's Dodsworth was perhaps the first truly splendid period romance. It had been preceded at FFF3 by a others of the genre, but it added substance to beauty. Kevin Kline plays Samuel Dodsworth, a retired automobile manufacturer who flits off to Europe with his somewhat dissatisfied wife (Annette Bening). While there they discover they are vastly different people and their marriage is put to the test. A compelling story of wants and dreams, purpose and meaninglessness, Dodsworth is an early twentieth century precursor to the end-of-marriage plot that is now a standby. The film is notable for its subtle humour, stunning beauty and, especially, its sincere belief in love. Forum Film Festival 4 Awards Winner - Best Art Direction Nominee - Best Actor (Kevin Kline), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Ensemble, Best Costume Design, Best Original Song, Best Original Score Special Features -Commentary with director Barry Levinson, stars Kevin Kline, Annette Bening and Michelle Pfeiffer -Historical commentary by period historian Steven Watts -"Manufacturing Dodsworth," a 90-minute making-of documentary -"Remaking the Festival," film critic Joyce Kulhawik takes a look at the very few prominent FFF remakes Available on single-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $29.95 MSRP. 4 Foundation Based on Isaac Asimov's classic novel, Foundation is the first genre piece to join the collection, a vanity project that broke the limits of scale for an FFF entry. Those limits would continue to be broken in the future, but it was Foundation that first pushed big budget sci-fi at the modern festival. Telling the story of old (John Hurt) and young (Paul Bettany) Hari Seldon, a brilliant mathematician in the distant future, the film portrays a genius lost in a world that will not listen. Having developed Psychohistory, a mathematical way of specifically predicting the future, Seldon tries to warn the Galactic Empire of its imminent demise. His ultimate failure sets the stage for this devastating story of one man's fight against the wheel of time. Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Winner - Best Sound, Best Visual Effects Nominee - Best Actor (John Hurt), Best Supporting Actor (Max Von Sydow), Best Ensemble, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Effects Special Features -Commentary with Artimus Zeln and John Hurt -"Laying the Foundaton," a two-hour making-of documentary with behind-the-scenes footage and cast/crew interviews -"Designing Trantor," Production designer Ian Gracie leads this look at the design of Foundation -"Star Sounds," a look Joe Hisaishi's American film debut -"Sci-fi and the Festival," film critic Joyce Kulhawik examines the role of science-fiction in the Forum Film Festival -Linear notes with exclusive conceptual art stills Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $39.95 MSRP. 5 The Lady Constantine Perhaps the Festival's greatest period piece, Maddie's The Lady Constantine is an impassioned love story. Set around an astronomy tower in old England, the film was a smoldering yet reserved love story between FFF Award nominees Jennifer Ehle and Ioan Gruffudd. Masterfully handled by director Stephen Frears, the film's Best Picture victory remains arguably the most shocking upset in FFF history (fellow Criterion film Panorama was seen as the guaranteed victor). It is, however, far more than a any sort of compromise choice. It is the best type of period piece: alive, exciting and skilfully relevant to our own lives. Beautiful in its craft, the film is a powerful love story masterfully executed. Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Winner - Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design Nominee - Director (Stephen Frears), Actress (Jennifer Ehle), Supporting Actor (Ioan Gruffudd), Cinematography, Art Direction Special Features -Commentary with director Frears, and actors Ehle and Gruffudd -Commentary by film historian Joyce Kulhawik -"The Stars Shone Brightly," a two-hour making of documentary -"Maddie's World," an hour long look at the driving force behind both the early festival and many of its classic films -Full colour book featuring stills from the film and a reproduction of the film's pivotal love letters Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $39.95 MSRP. 6 The Lieutenant of Inishmore Based on Martin McDonagh's deeply black and deeply comedic play, Brotherfallout's FFF3 entry is one of the funniest films ever mounted at the festival. Directed by Neil Jordan, The Lieutenant of Inishmore tells the story of Pedraic (Colin Farrell), a lieutenant in the INLA (Irish National Liberation Army). When he returns to his hometown of Inishmore, Pedraic is distraught to learn that his one true love, his cat Wee Thomas, has been killed. In a series of increasingly bloody and dark scenes, Pedraic storms through the town in search of his cat's killer. Jordan's direction elevates the play to a resounding cinematic level, the town of Inishmore coming alive on screen. Both a tale of small town values and greater ideals, the film is a contender for greatest FFF comedy of all time. Forum Film Festival 3 Winner - Best Adapted Screenplay Nominee - Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Farrell), Best Supporting Actor (Liam Neeson) Special Features -Commentary with Brotherfallout, director Neil Jordan and actor Colin Farrell -"The Body of Wee Thomas," a two-hour making-of documentary -"Inishmore is F*$&%#$ Awesome," Colin Farrell's video diary made during the film's production on location in Ireland -Outtakes and gag reel -"Play me a Film," film critic Joyce Kulhawik takes a look at famous FFF stage-to-screen adaptions including Inishmore, The Mousetrap and both versions of Arcadia Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $39.95 MSRP 7 Panorama Panorama was, at the time, the most awarded film in Festival history. Its precursor record was stunning and its reviews set a new record with the highest Rotten Bananas average score until FFF7 and Windows Walk/Heaven & Hell. What made it connect so deeply with festival goers was the power of its story of the limits of human mental strength. Building on David Cronenberg's work in Spider, Panorama placed Julianne Moore in a surprisingly serene home in a nice, quiet neighborhood. As the film unfolds, however, it becomes clear that her marriage and her life are not what they are first seem. A stunning portrayal of a woman dancing on the line between sanity and insanity, Panorama remains one of the most shocking and gut-wrenching entries in festival history. Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Winner - Best Actress (Julianne Moore) Nominee - Best Picture, Best Director (David Cronenberg), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects Special Features -Commentary with Engin and director David Cronenberg -"Perspectives: The Making of Panorama," a two-hour documentary chronicling the making of the film -"Strange Romance," a 30-minute portrait of Engin, arguably the festival's greatest producer -"Front Runners," film critic Joyce Kulhawik takes a look at some of the festivals greatest front runners and some of its greatest upsets -Picture card reproductions of Panorama's groundbreaking marketing posters and "For Your Consideration" ads Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $39.95 MSRP 8 (The) Pseudonyms The most indulgent choice yet made by the voters (though not as indulgent as Avenger's follow-up), (The) Pseudonyms was a labyrinth of a film. It told of a man's journey into an extremely bizarre and frightening underworld where everything was not quite was it seemed to be. It initially received strong reviews for its atmosphere and intrigue. It was not until writer Avenger revealed, mid-festival, the the title was more literal than first thought: the labyrinth was a stand-in for (then) Oscarwatch and the characters of (The) Pseudonyms were the festival participants themselves. What followed was a flurry of self-recognition and new found praise for the Forum Film Festival Award for Best Picture nominee. The only festival referencing in-joke to survive a reappraisal, less serious The All-Nighter has fared poorly in recent years, the film remains an intriguing puzzle and, now, a capsule of the festival's first years. Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Nominee: Picture, Director (Mark Romanek), Supporting Actress (Eileen Atkins), Ensemble, Original Song, Original Screenplay Special Features -Commentary with writer/producer Avenger and director Mark Romanek -Commentary with producers Artimus Zeln, Columbus, Darbicus and Wein that examines at the parallels and caricatures hidden within the film -"Lost Inside: Making (The) Pseudonyms," a ninety minute making-of documentary -"Faces Behind Pseudonyms," a look at all the film's characters and the real-life people they represent -A special second disc featuring a restore and revitalized version of Soderbergh's The All-Nighter Available on 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray for $34.95 MSRP. 9 Solid State Dudley Manlove is now one of the giants of FFF cinema, but when Solid State first hit the fest he was a complete unknown. The film was not a smash from day one, but it built a rather large following as the festival went on. That following manifested itself with Manlove's next film, Best Picture winner On Golden Blonde. However it was Solid State, matching Manlove and Cameron Crowe, that first delivered the sharp dialogue and fine-tuned characters Manlove would make his trademark. The story of a radio DJ named Jack (John Cusack, Solid State chronicles his struggle to maintain normal relationships and bond with his son in a post-divorce land scape. The film boasts one of the most heart felt endings in festival history and perhaps the greatest use of pre-recorded music. Forum Film Festival 5 Awards Winner - Best Original Song Nominee - Best Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson), Best Original Screenplay Special Features -Commentary with Dudley Manlove, director Cameron Crowe and star John Cusack -"Radio Days," a 90-minute making of documentary chronicling the film's production -"Song States," a look at Solid State's music, especially its original song, and the Dudley Manlove song legacy -"Nearly-missed Masterpiece," film critic Joyce Kulhawik looks at Solid State's journey from middle-of-the-road to now-appreciated masterpiece Available on single disc DVD and Blu-ray for $29.95 MSRP.